The CSO said that 14,178 new private cars were licensed last month, down 14.1% compared with February 2018.
Meanwhile, the number of used private cars licensed increased by 0.8% to 8,674 in February from 8,603 the same time last year.
February also saw a fall of 11.8% in the number of new goods vehicles licensed, bringing the total to 2,736.
The CSO said that in the first two months of 2019, a total of 36,457 new private cars were licensed - down 13.8% compared with the same time last year.
The number of used or imported private cars licensed increased by 1.1% compared with the same period in 2018.
Today's figures also reveal that Volkswagen was the most popular make of new private car licensed in February followed by Hyundai, Toyota, Skoda and Ford.
Together these five makes represent 50.9% of all new private cars licensed last month.
In the first two months of the year, the CSO said that 48.4% of all new private cars licensed were diesel.
92.3% of new private cars licensed in the same period were in the A/B CO2 emissions bands, it added.
The licensing and registration of new cars are different processes. A vehicle is licensed when a valid motor tax disc is issued for the first time whereas registration occurs when a vehicle gets its licence plate (registration number) for the first time.
n the first two months of the year, the CSO said that 48.4% of all new private cars licensed were diesel while 92.3% of new private cars licensed in the same period were in the A/B CO2 emissions bands.
The licensing and registration of new cars are different processes. A vehicle is licensed when a valid motor tax disc is issued for the first time whereas registration occurs when a vehicle gets its licence plate (registration number) for the first time.
